Bug on Grape vines... Friend or Foe?

[DigitalVinyl]

finding this guy on my grape vines... Friend or Foe??

DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email) Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY,

[Anonny Moose]

Looks like a lady beetle larvae to me. Karen

[Paul E. Lehmann]

tolerate populations of up to 15 leafhoppers per leaf with little or no economic damage.

[Marley1372]

Its not a leafhopper, it is definitley a lady beetle larvae.

Toad

[Lar]

:)

:) Been finding this guy on my grape vines... :) Friend or Foe?? :) :) DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email) :) Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY,

[DigitalVinyl]

Yep, thanks all. I thought they looked familiar. They have been set free on a colony of aphids on my calendula.

DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email) Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY,

[Bourne Identity]

No it isn't. Why answer when you aren't certain? It happens to be the larva of one of, if not THE most beneficial insect on the planet, the ladybeetle.

Victoria

[Paul E. Lehmann]

Well, EXCUSE ME, Victoria.

I had no idea there were so many lady bug experts on this news group. I merely tried to find the closest look alike in my copy of the Midwest Small Fruit Pest Management Handbook. Of course lady bug larva are not in the book. By the way, is there a difference in larva of the common lady bug and the Asian Lady beetle? The Asian Lady Beetle can RUIN a whole fermentation by releasing a smell when crushed that can not be cured.

Thank you for educating me on lady bug larva.

[Anonny Moose]

The larvae of the different lady beetles is indeed different and the one in question appears to be the Asian lady beetle. The Asian adult releases a bitter tasting and foul smelling liquid, which is actually the beetle's blood, from its legs as a defensive action. So you'd definitely want to make sure you don't have these lady beetles in your fruit at harvest.

[Lar]

In article , [e-mail] says... :) The larvae of the different lady beetles is indeed different and the one in :) question appears to be the Asian lady beetle. The Asian adult releases a :) bitter tasting and foul smelling liquid, which is actually the beetle's :) blood, from its legs as a defensive action. So you'd definitely want to make :) sure you don't have these lady beetles in your fruit at harvest.

All the lady beetles will give of the foul odor/taste. I would also say the larvae in question was the AMCLB.

[Bourne Identity]

You're excused.

[Bourne Identity]

When I make anything from fruit, I wash it. I thought this was common practice. You mean there are people who make wine, or jam, without washing the fruit first?

[Anonny Moose]

You are quarrelsome and belligerent.

[Paul E. Lehmann]

ALL the wines you buy are made from grapes that has NOT been washed. I do not know of any wineries that wash the grapes prior to crushing.

Even washing may not solve the problem entirely because the Asian beetle can and does burrow into holes in the fruit created by other insect pests.

[Paul E. Lehmann]

Thank you for the information.

The OP asked if the bug could be a problem. I believe the answer is YES, it could be a problem, IF the beetle is indeed The Asian beetle and IF the OP intends to make wine from the fruit or possible even jelly.

Perhaps even Victoria could learn a thing or two - unless she has the answers to all the world problems.

[Lar]

In article , [e-mail] says... :) The OP asked if the bug could be a problem. I believe the answer is YES, it :) could be a problem, IF the beetle is indeed The Asian beetle and IF the OP :) intends to make wine from the fruit or possible even jelly. :) :) I don't think it would be any more of a problem than any other LB species, unless one is worried about them replacing the native species in an area. They all have the foul odor/taste.

[Bourne Identity]

Thanks for answering my question.

[Bourne Identity]

Well, Gallo Winery has been making wine from organically grown grapes for decades. I wonder how they do it.

[Paul E. Lehmann]

"Organically Grown" does not mean they wash their grapes. Organically grown means they restrict the pesticides and fungicides to those that are "considered" to be "Organic" such as Sulphur and Copper.

[Paul E. Lehmann]

You may well be correct about them all having the foul odor/taste. I know that only recently has there been a great concern about the Asian Beetle. The other LB apparently were not a concern before but perhaps they should have been.